The present invention concerns the general technical subject of clip-on meal assistance systems for foodstuffs that are designed to be held by clipping onto a support.
More particularly, the present invention concerns a meal assistance system that includes an accessory designed to be clipped on to a foodstuff holder, for example the edge of a plate or tray, that makes it possible to hold containers for solid, liquid or pasty foodstuffs, for example cups holding a sauce or gravy.
The present invention also concerns each element of the system, directly and separately, that is, the accessory and the container.
Commonly found removable clip-on accessories for foodstuffs, which are designed to be held by clipping on to a support, are exclusively designed to momentarily hold a glass against a plate to free one of the user""s hands. These known accessories are formed from a gripper and means for receiving at least one glass, the gripper and the receiving means protruding from an intermediate area, the gripper having an upper jaw and a lower jaw that include one longitudinal arm and two longitudinal arms, respectively, designed to extend on either side of the support by being deformed in an essentially elastic manner to enable the accessory to be held by gripping onto the support.
Such accessories are frequently used at cocktail parties or picnics since the user can then keep together a plate with the glass containing a drink. Only one of the user""s hands is then required to hold the plate and glass, leaving one hand still.
However, even though such commonly found accessories are generally satisfactory, they can not be clipped onto supports of different thicknesses, which limits their use. Moreover, if the user attempts to clip an accessory to a support whose thickness does not correspond to the accessory, the stability of the accessory is diminished, requiring the user to watch to make sure that the accessory does not come loose from the plate and flip over.
To remedy these disadvantages, a first solution consists of having self-adhesive pads on the ends of the arms of the upper and lower jaws. However, the disadvantage of this solution is that it is cumbersome, not very practical and not very aesthetic. Indeed, attaching the accessory to the edge of the plate is not very convenient, and it is not easy to remove the accessory when the user no longer has need of it.
Finally, in general, the accessories mentioned above are designed for and meant exclusively to provide passive support for a glass in order to free up one hand. Thus, they were not designed to adapt to other functions that might introduce other diverse mechanical stresses requiring improved stability.
In particular, the development of the fast food industry in all its forms has produced new and constant needs for systems or accessories that can facilitate having of a meal, while still being easy to use.
For example, currently accompanying foodstuffs for the main dish, such as sauce or gravy, are served in the fast food industry simply by depositing a dose of the sauce or gravy directly in the plate in the middle of or to the side of the main dish, using a sauce or gravy distributor. In some cases, the user can use a separate capped cup containing the sauce or gravy and can pour its contents onto the plate, or more unusual, can dip the food directly into the container if it is large enough.
Such systems prove to be not very practical and often involve the random mixing of the main dish with the sauce or gravy, which can be perceived negatively by the user. In the case of a separate cup, the user must have a table or equivalent support because the cup usually must be held in one hand if the food is going to be inserted therein.
Consequently the objects of the invention seek to remedy the various disadvantages listed above, and to propose a new removable clip-on meal assistance system on a food holder that can facilitate having meals.
Consequently the objects of the invention deal with remedying the various disadvantages listed above, and to propose a new removable clip-on meal assistance system for foodstuffs that has improved stability after it is clipped on and during use.
Another object of the invention is to propose a new clip-on accessory that is inexpensive to manufacture, that has increased rigidity and is ergonomic.
Another object of the invention is to propose a new clip-on accessory that has numerous contact surfaces with the support after being clipped on.
Yet another object of the invention consists of proposing a new clip-on accessory designed to receive a container of a specific shape.
The objects assigned to the invention are achieved by a removable clip-on meal assistance system on a food holder, such as a tray or plate for example, characterized in that it has at least one container of foodstuffs to accompany a main dish and an accessory formed from a gripper and means for receiving the container(s), said gripper being able to be more or less elastically deformed to permit the accessory to be held on the support by gripping it.
Another object of the invention consists of proposing a container for foodstuffs designed to be supported by the receiving means of the accessory of the new meal assistance system. Advantageously, the shape of the container is adapted specifically to the receiving means of the accessory defined above.
The present invention also seeks to propose a new element formed by the attachment or clip-on accessory defined above.